Monday, July 23, 2007
Technical Difficulties
It is an amazing feat that I went online, created my own blog (without the help of my computer whiz hubby) and found the time and truly enjoyed blogging. I have zero patience with parking and computer difficulties. We have a "virus" safeguard on our computer. Little did we know that the safeguard informed us of problems but failed to protect us from certain issues that create computer messes. Thus I have been out of the blogging world for a little while due to the computer being in the shop. Hopefully we are now truly safeguarded and I will be up and running. I am working on patience with my computer and parking with my hubby (not parking but parking). So hopefully you will check in and tell me some of your lack of patience issues so we can work on or at least commiserate with one another on our shortcomings. Have fun today! Finch
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Fishing
I come from a long line of fishermen. I like to think some of my Greek Fishermen relatives were amongst those who walked with Jesus as he traveled Greece. My grandfather came over to America from Greece when he was sixteen. He came with his uncle and was separated from him in the San Francisco fires. He didn't speak English and was alone. I can't imagine one of my sons alone in a foreign country at sixteen. I never met my grandfather but have been told many stories about how much he loved to fish; about how he would sit on his haunches on the bank of a river for hours and fish.
My father loved to fish. Most of my childhood memories of my Dad involve the smell of sawdust or fishguts. He worked in a plywood mill and when he wasn't doing that he was fishing. I learned at a young age how to rig my own fishing pole and bait my own hook. I have caught many fish out of the Santiam river near Sweet Home were I grew up.
I married a city boy. He now loves to fish. The fellas love to fish. Luke bares the middle name "Rivers" a tribute to my fishing ancestory. I am proud to say that all three of the boys, Elijah, Levi and Luke, have all caught their own fish. We often fish above Detroit lake on the river. We have a friend in the fish hatchery business, he has shown us some dandy spots. The boys love to put squirming worms on their hooks, wade into the frigid waters and cast their poles. It is so much fun to see their excitement when they catch a rainbow beauty. I have little time to fish when we go. I spend most of my time helping retrieve their lines when they get snagged which is about every three minutes. I am now the master of re-rigging as I tend to do about every four minutes. We go through a lot of hooks.
We were driving home late one evening from one of our many fishing adventures and the passage in Mark came to mind. "As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." Mark 1:16-18 NIV. I was reminded that God has equipped us to not only be fishers of fish but more importantly to be fishers of men, women and children. I was struck with thought that I (we) are so excited to go out on our fishing excursions but don't always approach sharing the love of Jesus with as much excitement. I get caught up in snags of life and re-rigging, often feeling so overwhelmed with my own life situations that I lose sight of the fact that I have God as my Savior and no matter how rough things may seem I have eternal hope but there are so many that are lost and feel nothing but hopelessness. I prayed as we drove and have continued to ask God to make me a fisherwoman of people. That I would lay down my net as quickly as the men in the Bible did (in the message it says that "they didn't ask questions") and tell others about our Awesome Savior. I also prayed and continue to pray that God would take my three little fishermen and open their hearts to His great love and that they too would continue to fish the rivers but more importantly fish for souls.
Are you fishing? I hope so. Feel free to share a fish story or two.
My father loved to fish. Most of my childhood memories of my Dad involve the smell of sawdust or fishguts. He worked in a plywood mill and when he wasn't doing that he was fishing. I learned at a young age how to rig my own fishing pole and bait my own hook. I have caught many fish out of the Santiam river near Sweet Home were I grew up.
I married a city boy. He now loves to fish. The fellas love to fish. Luke bares the middle name "Rivers" a tribute to my fishing ancestory. I am proud to say that all three of the boys, Elijah, Levi and Luke, have all caught their own fish. We often fish above Detroit lake on the river. We have a friend in the fish hatchery business, he has shown us some dandy spots. The boys love to put squirming worms on their hooks, wade into the frigid waters and cast their poles. It is so much fun to see their excitement when they catch a rainbow beauty. I have little time to fish when we go. I spend most of my time helping retrieve their lines when they get snagged which is about every three minutes. I am now the master of re-rigging as I tend to do about every four minutes. We go through a lot of hooks.
We were driving home late one evening from one of our many fishing adventures and the passage in Mark came to mind. "As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." Mark 1:16-18 NIV. I was reminded that God has equipped us to not only be fishers of fish but more importantly to be fishers of men, women and children. I was struck with thought that I (we) are so excited to go out on our fishing excursions but don't always approach sharing the love of Jesus with as much excitement. I get caught up in snags of life and re-rigging, often feeling so overwhelmed with my own life situations that I lose sight of the fact that I have God as my Savior and no matter how rough things may seem I have eternal hope but there are so many that are lost and feel nothing but hopelessness. I prayed as we drove and have continued to ask God to make me a fisherwoman of people. That I would lay down my net as quickly as the men in the Bible did (in the message it says that "they didn't ask questions") and tell others about our Awesome Savior. I also prayed and continue to pray that God would take my three little fishermen and open their hearts to His great love and that they too would continue to fish the rivers but more importantly fish for souls.
Are you fishing? I hope so. Feel free to share a fish story or two.
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